Obama to nominate Jim Comey as next FBI chief on Friday: official

WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama will nominate Jim Comey to be the next FBI director on Friday, picking a former Justice Department official who has deep experience in the US battle against terrorism, a White House official said on Thursday.

If confirmed by the Senate, Comey, a Republican, would replace FBI Director Robert Mueller, who has led the agency since just before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Mueller is expected to step down this fall.